Software Industry Announcements and News


Digital Maturity?

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 11.30.11 under Security & Privacy

Latest AVG Digital Diaries Installment Reveals Average 11-Year-Old Has “Adult Skills” When it Comes to Technology

Advanced Tech Skills Force Tweens to Grow Up Too Fast

AMSTERDAM–In today’s tech-centric society, children, tweens and teens are spending more time online than ever before. To develop a better understanding of how this impacts the lives of today’s youth, AVG Technologies, a leading provider of Internet and mobile security, established Digital Diaries, a series of studies that examines technology habits in different age groups. AVG today shares the results of Digital Maturity, the fourth installment of research commissioned by AVG, which studies the digital life cycle of children.

Above all, Digital Maturity reveals that while the average 11-year-old isn’t managing a stock portfolio or paying the mortgage online, his or her online activity closely mirrors that of an adult’s in many other respects, specifically regarding the length of time spent on connected mobile devices and overall time spent on social networks and online gaming.
Read the rest of this entry…

McAfee Releases Top Five Tips to Avoid Bad Apps

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 11.29.11 under Security & Privacy

Maliciously Modified Apps Becoming Popular Vector for Infecting Devices

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–In response to the increasing interest in mobile applications, McAfee is sharing its top five tips to avoid downloading bad apps. While reported mobile malware incidents are still relatively low in number, McAfee Labs is seeing significant growth in the mobile malware threat landscape. Due to the fact that smartphones and tablets have eclipsed unit sales of desktop and laptop PCs, cybercriminals have set their sights on mobile and maliciously modified apps are becoming a more popular vector for infecting devices. Fortunately, there are some common sense practices that anyone can take to help protect their smartphones and tablets from the growing threat of malware and the persistent threat of unsecured devices.

Here are five easy steps device users can take to secure their own devices.
Read the rest of this entry…

McAfee Warns Consumers of the “Twelve Scams of Christmas”

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 11.27.11 under Security & Privacy

Cyber-Scrooges Work Overtime During Holiday Season and on Black Friday/Cyber Monday, New Threats Hit Mobile, Email and the Web

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–‘Tis the season for consumers to spend more time online – shopping for gifts, looking for great holiday deals on new digital gadgets, e-planning family get-togethers and of course, using online or mobile banking to make sure they can afford it all. But before logging on from a PC, Mac, or mobile device, consumers should look out for the “12 Scams of Christmas,” the dozen most dangerous online scams this holiday season, revealed today by McAfee.

“Cybercriminals rub their hands with glee when they think of the holidays,” said Gary Davis, director of consumer product marketing at McAfee. “Consumers are making travel plans, shopping for gifts and bargains, updating Facebook and connecting with friends. However, the vast majority have no security protection for their smartphones or tablets, despite using them heavily during the holiday season. Consumers need to stay one step ahead of this season’s cyber-scrooges, and make sure they have protection for all of their Internet-enabled devices. Otherwise, they could risk giving the bad guys the biggest gift of all – their own personal and financial information.”
Read the rest of this entry…

Cybercrime risk a perfect storm brewing

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 09.16.11 under Security & Privacy

‘Wetware’ a crucial factor in increasingly dangerous cybercrime scenarios

AMSTERDAM, 15 September, 2011 – A new report commissioned by the internet security company AVG today reveals how the explosion in size and complexity of global cyber crime, combined with the surprising complacency of younger users, is putting lives at risk.

The report, authored by the research agency The Future Laboratory, reveals that while cybercriminals and malicious programs are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect, users are, alarmingly, becoming less vigilant about protecting their online devices. The combination of these two factors presents a potentially disastrous cybercrime scenario.
Read the rest of this entry…

McAfee Survey Reveals That Confidence in Online Retailers Has Fallen Since 2009

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 08.26.11 under Security & Privacy

Results Indicate Only One Third of Consumers Believe Most Websites are Safe for Shopping

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–According to a study of consumer sentiment toward online shopping and security released today by McAfee, and conducted by Harris Interactive®, only about a third of online consumers believe that most websites are safe for shopping, an 11 percent decrease since McAfee conducted the survey in 2009. The majority of online consumers, 84 percent, continue to have some level of concern when providing personal information online.

“While consumers are faced with more options than ever for shopping online, it’s clear that one of their biggest concerns – security – remains,” said Steve Petracca, senior vice president of global consumer marketing at McAfee. “It is important for online retailers to recognize, understand and assuage these concerns in order to increase sales and earn trust from their customers.”
Read the rest of this entry…

Sixteen Individuals Arrested in the United States for Alleged Roles in Cyber Attacks

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 07.24.11 under Government News, Security & Privacy

More Than 35 Search Warrants Executed in United States, Five Arrests in Europe as Part of Ongoing Cyber Investigations

WASHINGTON—Fourteen individuals were arrested today by FBI agents on charges related to their alleged involvement in a cyber attack on PayPal’s website as part of an action claimed by the group “Anonymous,” announced the Department of Justice and the FBI. Two additional defendants were arrested today on cyber-related charges.

The 14 individuals were arrested in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, and Ohio on charges contained in an indictment unsealed today in the Northern District of California in San Jose. In addition, two individuals were arrested on similar charges in two separate complaints filed in the Middle District of Florida and the District of New Jersey. Also today, FBI agents executed more than 35 search warrants throughout the United States as part of an ongoing investigation into coordinated cyber attacks against major companies and organizations. Finally, the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police Service arrested one person and the Dutch National Police Agency arrested four individuals today for alleged related cyber crimes.
Read the rest of this entry…

Next Entries » « Previous Entries